Some women, especially women who have given birth to one or more children, and older women, can experience incidences of involuntary urine loss due to stress urinary incontinence or combined stress and urge incontinence. Accordingly, as the world's female population ages, there is an ever increasing need for a non-surgical procedure and/or device to reduce the involuntary urine loss commonly associated with “stress urinary incontinence.” One way to alleviate the problem of incontinence is to place an insert within the vagina to allow the urethra to compress and/or provide support for the bladder neck in order to prevent the involuntary loss of urine. Inserts developed for such purposes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,090,038; 6,090,098; 6,142,928; U.S. application Ser. No. 09/675,459; and in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/675,460.
One challenge associated with the use of the inserts of the above mentioned patents and applications is that they are most effective when properly oriented within the vagina. Furthermore, because the inserts are relatively large compared to other vaginally inserted devices, such as catemenial tampons, there is a challenge making a device that can properly place the inserts within the vagina without causing discomfort. One solution is disclosed in commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 09/675,458, which shows an elliptical applicator. While this applicator is suitable for its intended use, the applicator of the present invention improves upon that device.
In addition, another problem associated with the use of inserts is that they may be difficult to eject from the applicator, which may result in unnecessary discomfort experienced by the user. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an applicator in which the insert may be easily ejected from the applicator. The applicator of the present invention solves this problem by providing vents that reduce the friction between the insert and the inner surface of the applicator. As a result, the insert is more easily ejected from the applicator.